Fury as 400-year-old Oak Tree is cut down by Toby Carvery in London over ‘health and safety’ fears
Locals are in uproar after an ancient oak tree thought be one of London’s biggest was felled by Toby Carvery.
The more than 400-year-old tree, located in Whitewebbs Park, north London, is believed to have been felled on April 3.
It is situated next to a car park on land leased to Mitchells & Butler, the pub chain owner of the nearby Toby Carvery.
A spokesperson for Mitchells & Butler said the huge tree, which has a girth of 6.1 metres, was cut back after advice it posed a ‘serious health and safety risk’.
The company said in a statement: ‘The tree was cut back after we were advised by our specialist arboriculture contractors that it caused a potential health and safety risk.
‘This was an important action to protect our employees and guests as well as the wider general public, to whom we have a duty of care.
‘We took necessary measures to ensure any legal requirements were met.
‘We are grateful to our specialist arboriculture contractors for warning us of this potential health and safety risk, allowing us to act swiftly to address it.’
Enfield Council members have reported the matter to police and a preservation order remains in place on the base of the stump.
The felling has sparked outrage among locals and environmental campaigners.
Adam Cormack, The Woodland Trust’s head of campaigning, said: ‘This depressing crime is a reminder to all of us that not every ancient tree is in a safe place.’
Ed Pyne, Woodland Trust senior conservation adviser for trees, added: ‘This is the most shocking fell I think I’ve ever seen in more than a decade working with ancient trees.
‘In my view, this is ecologically much more significant than the Sycamore Gap – and certainly a more irreplaceable tree.’
Local tree surgeon Henry Jordan, 21, who travelled to the park after hearing about the felling, called it a ‘disgrace’. He said: ‘They have absolutely annihilated the oak. When I was younger, I came here with my friends and we used to run about in the woods and this tree was one of the larger ones. ‘It is a disgrace to see it like this. You can tell it was not dying because there is still foliage growing on it.’
Ed Allnut, a local resident and secretary of the Guardians of Whitewebbs group, said: ‘The tree belonged to Enfield and to our national heritage.
‘I am personally devastated. We want answers, and we want guarantees the other trees here are being protected properly.’He added: ‘This was a special tree, there are probably only 100, of its age left in London.’
The tree is thought to have been planted in the 1600s, before the English Civil War. From the English Civil War and the Enlightenment, through the Victorian Empire and two World Wars, it stood. And it was beautiful.
Ed Allnut, a resident of the north London borough and secretary of the Guardians of Whitewebbs group, said local people want justice for the felling.
Dog walker Hayley Pugh, who saw the crew cutting the tree told Metro: ‘There were three blokes with chainsaws and unmarked vans. It’s awful, I’m here every day.
Ergin Erbil, leader of Enfield Council, said they had not been informed about the incident until last week. He said: ‘Enfield Council cares deeply about protecting trees and green spaces in the borough.
‘The council was not informed of this incident until last week. Our teams immediately carried out a full site inspection to assess the damage after receiving reports of the damage done to the tree.
‘We are treating the matter as criminal damage and have reported it to the police. We’ve now placed a legal protection (Tree Preservation Order) on the tree and are looking at ways to help it grow back.’
On Monday, the Tree Council and Forest Research called for a ‘robust and effective system’ to protect England’s most important trees in the wake of the Sycamore Gap tree felling in Northumberland in September 2023.
The trial of the two men accused of felling the Sycamore Gap tree is due to take place later this month in Newcastle Crown Court.
Oak trees are valuable for wildlife and biodiversity, and can support more than 2,300 species including birds, bats and insects.
Dog walkers came to pay their respects to the tree, patting it on its bark. One said: ‘I don’t know what this country is coming to.’
A blogpost by the tree company Thores Trees says: “Ancient trees like this one are living ecosystems in themselves. This oak was a lapsed pollard, a sign of historical land management, left to mature over centuries into a vast and unique habitat. Its sheer size and age meant it was home to hundreds of species, many of which rely solely on old trees like this to survive.”
Tree Weaver 